Baseball Words in Spanish

You may already know this…Baseball is a huge part of Panamanian culture.

…And I’m sure you know that former New York Yankee, Mariano Rivera, is Panamanian, as is Hall of Famer Rod Carew – there is even a stadium in the city named after him!

…But did you know that Mariano Rivera was the last player to ever wear the number 42 (every day)? That number was retired league wide to honor Jackie Robinson.

…And you may already know this too; Panama has two leagues, the juvenile league, and the Mayor League.

…But what you probably didn’t know is that many of the words and phrases used in baseball are the same in both English and Spanish. So one of our students (who is an avid baseball fan) decided to sit down with one of our teachers (who is also an avid baseball fall) to translate several baseball words and terms.

English

Spanish

Category

home plate

home plate

locations

Bullpen

Bullpen

locations

fastball

bola rapida / recta

pitching

curveball

curva

pitching

knuckleball

nudillo

pitching

slider

slider

pitching

sinker

sinker

pitching

changeup

cambio

pitching

cut fastball (cutter)

cutter / lanzamiento cortante / cortante

pitching

pitchers mound

monticulo

pitching

first base

primera base

positions

second base

segunda base

positions

third base

tercera base

positions

Shortstop

Campo corto / torpedero

positions

Left field

jardin izquierdo

positions

Center Field

jardin central

positions

Right Field

jardin derecho

positions

Pitcher

lanzador

positions

Catcher

receptor

positions

Manager

director

positions

Closer

cerrador

positions

Relief Pitcher

lanzador de relevo

positions

umpire

arbitro

positions

outfielder

jardinero

positions

Hit

imparable

scoring

Bunt

toque (toque is also a Canadian winter hat, pronounced different tho)

scoring

single

sencillo

scoring

double

doble

scoring

triple

triple

scoring

home run

cuadrangular / homerun / jonron

scoring

win

ganar

scoring

loss

perder

scoring

save

salvados

scoring

run batted in

carrera empujada

scoring

error

error

scoring

Strike Out

ponche

scoring

hit by pitch

golpeado

scoring

walk

base por bolas

scoring

double play

doble play

scoring

triple play

triple play

scoring

out

fuera / out

scoring

stolen base

base robada

scoring

sacrifice fly

elevado de sacrificio

scoring

sacrifice bunt

toque de sacrificio

scoring

balk

balk

scoring

intentional walk

base por bolas intentional

scoring

shutout

blanqueo

scoring

strike

bola buena

scoring

ball

bola mala

scoring

wild pitch

lanzamiento descontrolado

scoring

ground ball

batazo rodado

scoring

fly ball

elevado

scoring

bases loaded

bases llenas

terms

inning

episodio / inning

terms

full count

cuenta llena

terms

pickoff

sorprendido (correndor soprendido)

terms

runner

corredor

terms

pinch hitter

bateador emergente

terms

slide

deslizarse

terms

foul

foul

terms

glove

guante

terms

bat

bate

terms

cap/hat

gorra

terms

visitor

visitante

terms

home team

local

terms

rosin bag

bolsa de resina

terms

dugout

dugout / cueva (den)

terms

ball

pelota

terms

fan

aficianado

terms

batters box

caja de bateo

terms

no hitter

juego sin imparables

terms

perfect game

juego perfecto

terms

field

terreno o campo

terms

And now you know! So next time you’re at the game or watching it on TV, you can follow along and understand what’s happening.